Blackhawks won't be the same without Patrick Sharp

When was last time a Chicago athlete as accomplished as Patrick Sharp left town?

On my way out of the United Center last month two hours after the Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup in six seasons, Patrick Sharp emerged from a euphoric dressing room full of teammates to hug some friends and family members in the hallway.

Sharp caught my quick glance and came over to stop me for a word. In this business, one braces himself any time a pro athlete he has critiqued over time asks for an audience. But the relaxed, reflective look on Sharp's face suggested this was not one of those encounters.

"Thanks for being fair during all that crap this year — and thanks for everything all the years I was here," Sharp said, extending his hand. "It was a great ride.''

He knew. Everybody knew. The most challenging season of Sharp's Hawks career — the one sullied by over-the-top gossip about his personal life and trade rumors he alluded to — also would be his last. His classy, long goodbye began within minutes of saying hello to his last championship in a red sweater. When the inevitable news arrived Friday night that Sharp had been traded to the Stars for salary-cap purposes, it was less of a shock than younger ex-teammate Brandon Saad's departure — but no less significant.

Chicago should be the one stopping to thank Sharp on his way out for being the professional he was for 10 years representing the Hawks. When was the last time one of our city's athletes left town for another team after starring in such a historic decade here? Frank Thomas? Mark Buehrle? Scottie Pippen? Michael Jordan? That's good company.

Individually, of course, Sharp still ranks a tier below those icons, but three Cups and an Olympic gold medal for Team Canada make the 33-year-old one of the most decorated players of his generation to wear another uniform after enjoying one of Chicago's rare championship parades.

The call from Hawks general manager Stan Bowman finally came Friday night and it triggered a wave of emotions from a player who appeared in 679 games with...

This Hawks salary dump included franchise history too. This wasn't the Bears dealing wide receiver Brandon Marshall and big numbers that were the equivalent of empty calories. This was the first trade since they started counting Cups to shake the Hawks to their core, which always included Sharp.

You can't measure what the Hawks lost by saying they can easily replace the 16 goals and 27 assists in what was a down year for the winger. It goes beyond finding ways to compensate for the absence of the team's active leader in power-play goals (65) and short-handed goals (16) who leaves with 38 game-winners — three more than Patrick Kane. An organization that has relied on class and character as much as speed and skill to rebuild itself in the Joel Quenneville Era faces a void requiring more than just a sniper on a top line. It faces the loss of a quiet example of professionalism and leadership often overlooked on a team full of bigger stars — but not unappreciated.

Contrary to the ballyhooed Mr. Handsome reputation, Sharp was more than just a pretty face; he could be a grinder when needed on both ends with a nasty streak that belied his Hollywood good looks. He also understood and embraced accountability. When he committed costly back-to-back penalties in third period of Game 2 against the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final, Sharp was awaiting reporters at his locker postgame to own it. When he sensed his silence over the Internet rumormongering increased the distraction, Sharp initiated the tough conversation in March to shift the focus back to hockey. When a situation called for responsibility, Sharp answered.

As much as any sport, hockey relies on intangibles and team chemistry, resolve and resilience, especially on the ice. The Hawks might not realize how much they miss Sharp's role in making those strengths on their championship teams until he's gone.

In terms of sheer talent, age and potential, yes, the Hawks ultimately might regret trading 23-year-old defenseman Stephen Johns more than Sharp, whose unwieldy $5.9 million cap hit forced GM Stan Bowman's hand. It tells you how badly Bowman needed to shed Sharp's salary that the Stars coerced him into including a promising young D-man off a Hawks team lacking depth on the blue line.

Veteran defenseman Trevor Daley, one of two players the Hawks received, offers insurance if no money remains for free-agent Johnny Oduya. Forward Ryan Garbutt becomes the latest NHL agitator Bowman adds to a collection that already includes Andrew Shaw, Andrew Desjardins and Daniel Carcillo. As a "good, old-fashioned hockey trade,'' the way Bowman described it, the deal can be defended as benefiting both teams. On a list of 2016 Cup contenders, the Hawks still can be included as long as Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith stay healthy.

But player introductions Friday at the Hawks Convention will carry more curiosity than most years. Anisimov. Dano. Panarin. Tikhonov. Daley. Garbutt … The positive vibe and optimism will feel similar. But without Sharp, the Hawks just won't be the same.